This was a fairly standard, low budget entry into the slasher sub-genre which was booming throughout the 80's. This one got buried down with many of the others that never really gained any notoriety. I personally enjoy this movie more than most people would, and a big part for that is the rural location it is set in as it is very reminiscent of where I grew up as a child. There is also a cheesy theme song for Melissa which is played throughout the movie and I really enjoy that too.

This isn't the type of slasher film that you watch solely for the kill scenes, although they are violent, they're fairly quick and repetitive stabbing sequences mostly in first-person view. With some up and down acting performances, it's nostalgic feel and mystery reveal is what Sweet Sixteen is going to win or lose its audience with.

Sweet Sixteen (1983)
Review by Michael Mahoney

While not really a lot better than many other slashers that came out around the same time period, Sweet Sixteen definitely isn't much worse. Some of the kills are a bit on the repetitive side, but the mystery is solid, and there are plenty of enjoyable characters here.

There's a few performances that really help out. Dana Kimmell (of Friday the 13th Part III fame) and Steve Antin did well as brother and sister, though Kimmell came across as so much more memorable than did Antin. Bo Hopkins does great as a lead here, and comes across well-casted. Oddly, while Aleisa Shirley was beautiful, and shined in her nude scenes, aside from the conclusion, I don't think she stood out all that much. Others who did, though, include Don Shanks, Patrick Macnee, Susan Strasberg, and Sharon Ferrell (who also starred in 1974's It's Alive).

As far as gore goes, it's definitely lighter than other slashers at the time period, and like I said, the kills themselves are rather repetitive, but I don't really think it hurt the film too much. Since the story was pretty engaging, and can lead one to suspect any number of potential suspects, I think any misgivings about lack of gore can mostly be forgiven.

Sweet Sixteen isn't really the most memorable slasher, especially as birthday-themed slashers have been done before (such as Happy Birthday to Me and Bloody Birthday), but it's still a decently charming slasher, and adds in some elements of racism against Native Americans to keep things a little more interesting. Really, this is one that I suspect many slasher fans would be fine with, but I don't think it'd make anyone's top twenty slashers. 7.5/10 (rounded up to 8/10 to fit site's format).